Highlights from the ballot …
No changes to the top five and few adjustments required anywhere after a week in which only four teams lost to unranked opponents.
Penn State was the top riser, jumping from No. 13 to No. 7.
The move was fueled by two factors:
The Nittany Lions’ victory over Michigan — they now claim two wins over ranked teams (Iowa is the other) — and a re-evaluation of Georgia.
The latter assessment was prompted by South Carolina’s home loss to Florida, which dropped the Gamecocks’ record to 2-4 against FBS opponents and further undermined Georgia’s resume.
And if the Bulldogs warrant a downward move as a result of losing at home to South Carolina, then so, too, does Notre Dame, which lost a close game in Athens and lacks an offsetting high-level win.
Penn State wasn’t the only team to fill the void: Auburn and Oregon moved up, as well.
The Tigers’ only loss is at Florida (No. 6), and the Ducks’ only loss is to Auburn.
*** Quickly on other Pac-12 teams …
Utah climbed four spots, to No. 13, after the win over Arizona State.
The Sun Devils fell five spots, to No. 20, although their resume is rapidly deteriorating with the mounting losses by Michigan State and Cal.
1. LSU
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Oklahoma
5. Alabama
6. Florida
7. Penn State
8. Auburn
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
11. Notre Dame
12. Texas
13. Utah
14. Wisconsin
15. Baylor
16. Iowa
17. Cincinnati
18. Michigan
19. Minnesota
20. Arizona State
21. SMU
22. Iowa State
23. Appalachian State
24. Wake Forest
25. Memphis
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